By Tammy Reus, Friends of the Vineyards
The Alameda County Board of Supervisors is considering loosening the requirements of the County’s Urban Growth Boundary Initiative (Measure D). Weakening the protections contained in Measure D could set a dangerous precedent for more changes, including moving the urban growth boundary.
A public forum to discuss this proposal has been scheduled for Monday, April 30th at 6:30 p.m. at the Martinelli Center in Livermore (3585 Greenville Road). We need you to attend and voice your opinion that Measure D should not be changed.
Measure D was passed by the voters in 2000 to prevent sprawl from encroaching on our dwindling agricultural lands, open space, watersheds, and wildlife habitat. It encourages infill and transit-friendly development to help revitalize neighborhoods within existing urban boundaries. Measure D also sets standards for development outside the urban growth boundary to protect open space from excessive development. The Bay Chapter originated the idea for Measure D, coordinated its drafting, and spearheaded the campaign to gather signatures and pass the measure.
The Supervisors are now considering weakening the protections contained in Measure D. They are looking at changing the current development standard controlling Floor Area Ratio (FAR). The FAR limits the square footage of non-residential buildings based on a parcel’s area. The purpose is to keep the scale of development in proportion to the size of a parcel. The current FAR is 0.01, which means that the total square footage of all non-residential buildings on a parcel cannot exceed 1% of the parcel’s area. For example, a 100-acre parcel is limited to 1 acre of non-residential building square footage (43,560 square feet).
Some people are arguing that the FAR should be increased to allow larger non-residential structures. Our position is that the 1% FAR is sufficient and should not be changed. Moreover, our position is that any change to the FAR must be submitted to the voters for approval under the express terms of Measure D. We do not believe that changes to the FAR can legally be adopted through a technical amendment, as at least one supervisor has indicated.
The risk is great. If the Board of Supervisors changes the FAR it might try to change other parts of Measure D, including moving the urban growth boundary. This is a Pandora’s Box that should not be opened. Measure D has stood the test of time and successfully protected County open space lands from harmful development for 18 years. If any changes are to be made, it should be the voters who make them.